


Barbecue Bribes

by Theonewhosawitall



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Advice, Barbecue, Dad Steve McGarrett, Everyone loves Grace Williams, F/M, Family, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Meeting the kids for the first time, Minor Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams, Motherhood, Ohana, Protectiveness, Steve McGarrett loves Grace, Sulking, Uncle Steve McGarrett, parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:14:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28329555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theonewhosawitall/pseuds/Theonewhosawitall
Summary: After their ill timed first meeting, Danny wants to give Amber and Grace a space to connect. A family barbecue seems perfect
Relationships: Melissa Armstrong | Amber Vitale/Danny "Danno" Williams, Steve McGarrett & Grace Williams
Comments: 2
Kudos: 37





	Barbecue Bribes

**Author's Note:**

> Sort of a sequal to Anti-Amber Pro-Pineapple but also sort of not.
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/26982763

"Hey, would you mind helping me with this if you’re not too busy?"

Grace looked up from her window seat long enough to glanced Amber up and down. She gave a dramatic sigh and rolled her eyes.

"Fine."

Amber gave her a smile as she stood up and dusted herself off.

"Thank you," she said.

Grace glanced at her again and breezed past without a word. She threw another hopeful look out of the window. There were still no signs of the car she was looking for yet. Grace sighed quietly. Amber followed her as she led the way back out into the garden. Grace wandered over to the picnic table to see what needed to be done as Amber moved to join Danny by the barbecue. Danny's arm slithered around her waist like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"I don't think Grace likes me," Amber said.

Danny glanced over at Grace as she stacked the disposable cups up on the table into a pyramid shape that would be blown away with the next gust of wind.

"She's just protective. She's only ever seen me with her mom and Gabby- uh..." Danny caught himself urgently.

They didn't talk about their exes. At least they never had. Amber never seemed comfortable talking about her past at all and he didn't like to pry. But she did nudge him playfully.

"You can tell me about your ex-girlfriends Daniel, I won't die of jealousy. Especially if they can help me win over Grace," she teased.

Danny tugged her closer, "It's just a defence. She's like that with everyone."

The reassurance was a simple one. He leaned closer to plant a kiss on her cheek. She smiled warmly. As long as this wasn't just because she was dating the kids’ father then she was sure they could handle it. After all she was like this with everyone.

Grace yelled in delight when she saw a familiar face struggling through the garden gate with his arms full. She went racing over to hold the gate for him.

"UNCLE JERRY!" She beamed.

Through his long hair and fuzzy beard Jerry beamed right back, "Hey Gracie!"

"Aloha Uncle Jerry, what's in the bag?" Grace asked eagerly.

Jerry opened the bag for her to peer in eagerly. "Banana bread. Want some?"

Grace hesitated. She gestured to the logo on the bag, "Did Uncle Kamekona make it?"

"Huh?" Jerry looked down in confusion before he saw Kamekona's face on the bag and smiled again, "Oh, no, it's just his bag. I've got so many in the van I thought I might as well reuse them."

"Then yeah! You're baking is the best!" Grace beamed again.

Jerry lit up. "Let's take it to the kitchen then!" He linked an arm around her shoulders as she leaned against him and they walked towards the kitchen together. Jerry paused by the door to flash Danny a smile, "I love this kid."

Grace looked up at him, her face as light as sunshine, "I love you too Uncle Jerry!"

They carried on laughing as they moved up the stairs. Amber pulled away from Danny and folded her arms pointedly.

"That's not fair, she's known Jerry for longer. Besides, he's a guy! He's no threat of being a new mom," Danny insisted.

Amber smiled but her chest tightened nervously. Being a mother was a big deal. Especially to someone she hadn't given birth to. It was harder if that kid didn’t like you either.

Grace didn't appear again until Kono arrived and she came racing out with crumbs across her mouth to wrap her arms around her neck. Kono knelt down to catch her and hug her back.

"Grace! There's my favourite cheerleader! How's your routine coming?" Kono grinned.

"Great Auntie Kono, thanks for the core muscle exercises, it's been really helpful!" Grace nodded eagerly.

"You'll have to show me. Later, we'll clear out the whole garden and you can show me your tumble," Kono winked.

Grace shuffled her feet eagerly and grinned, "Awesome!"

Amber's chest ached at how excited Grace was to see these people that Amber had never met before. She leaned in towards Danny.

"Is Kono a threat to being a new mother?"

Danny moved to answer, but paused. He considered lying for a moment, just to tease her. The pause was just long enough for her to get the point. She elbowed him, laughing.

"Danny!"

"I'm joking! I've only got eyes for you babe!" Danny wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her near and she linked hers around his neck. "I’m telling you, as soon as Grace gets to know you, she'll love you just as much as..."

Danny trailed off as he licked his lips. Amber held her smile stubbornly.

"Just as much as?" She repeated.

"As much as I... love..." he cleared his throat awkwardly and let go of her waist, "these burgers! Have you tried one? Here, try mine!"

Amber's face fell. Her arms slipped away from his neck as she took a step away from him.

"No. thanks."

It wasn't very hard to say love. He could say it. She had heard him say it. To _Steve._ His partner. Not her. His girlfriend. It had taken almost dying and accidentally meeting Grace for him to call her that too. Now they were hosting a barbecue to celebrate Danny and Steve surviving a building collapsing on their head. At least that's what Danny claimed anyway.

The garden filled up around them with people Amber didn't know but that came over to get hugs and tease Danny. It took a while for Danny to notice that Grace wasn't in the garden anymore.

"I'll go look for her," Amber offered.

"You sure?" Danny asked uncertainly.

"Yeah," Amber nodded.

Danny looked unsure but nodded. Amber knew Grace. Not well, and not comfortably, but she knew her. Besides if she was allowed to go inside to look for her, Amber could take a moment in privacy to just breathe. That was enough to ease her nerves right now. She blinked when she found her standing on the lalani. Her eyes were fixed on the road, waiting. Amber cleared her throat as she approached.

"Hey."

Grace hardly turned her head but it was enough to acknowledge that she had been heard. Amber licked her lips. She pressed on.

"You uh... you looking for someone in particular?" She asked.

"No," she lied.

"Oh. You look like you are."

"No. I’m not looking for him because he's not here. So I’m just waiting."

That was possibly the first full sentence that Grace had actually said to her. Grace didn't tend to look at Amber, much less talk to her.

"Him, huh? Him who?" She asked.

"The most important person who isn't here yet," Grace stated.

"Oh? Who's that then?"

"My dad."

"Your dad? But he’s-"

From the side gate there was a loud call of, "Where's my girl?!"

Grace gasped and lit up, "There he is! Uncle Steve!"

Amber blinked in surprise as Grace leapt down the steps two by two and darted back to the garden to find him. He had parked around the back so she missed him. But when he heard her call his name he turned and beamed at her. He dropped down to one knee and threw out his arms as she raced into them and threw her arms around his neck like she was trying to tackle him. Steve laughed and squeezed her tight.

"There's my girl!" He beamed. When he let her go, she took a step back but he still held her hands. "Oh, you give the most amazing hugs, y’know that? Danno on the grill?"

Grace nodded, "Uhuh, he's burnt three hot dogs already."

Steve made a show of rolling his eyes, "Oy, he should stick to soup huh? Never mind, I'm here now. C’mon, help me carry these in would you?"

Grace pretended to pull a face and joked, "Nah I don't feel like it."

Steve cocked a smirk that was a little prouder than the last one had been, but there was a sparkle in his eyes that knew he could win this one easy.

"Oh really? Well I've got a surprise for you too, but if you're not gonna help-" he began.

"What is it?!" She gasped.

"Its a _surprise!"_ He laughed, "you gotta help hide it."

"Okay!"

It was that easy. Grace latched onto his hand and let him lead her away to the car down the road and Danny didn’t bat an eyelid. Danny didn't want to tell Amber where Grace went to school - he would rather she make sure that she got to the bus stop safely than drive her all the way - but Steve could take her away from the garden alone to his car without telling another soul. Clearly his trust was explicit and hers was still lacking.

She was pulled from her thoughts by a tap on her shoulder. When she turned, she was greeted by a warm smile.

"Aloha Amber. I'm Kono. Pleased to meet you."

Amber smiled back, relieved to hear the friendliness in her tone. "Hi, yeah, its a pleasure to meet you too, properly. I've heard a lot about you."

"All bad I hope?" Kono winked.

She had a wicked smirk on her that made Amber laugh.

"You know it!" She said.

Kono and Amber made small talk for a while as Amber tracked the movements of the little girl and the grown man across the garden. They were attempting to sneak into the house without being seen by Danny. When Danny caught them heading away, Steve handed something to Grace and ushered her inside. He then tried to casually pretend he hadn't to Danny, who didn’t believe him. Steve stepped with Danny to block his path repeatedly, before stepping forward to take Danny's gesturing hand and walk them both into a waltz. after a few steps, Danny pulled away, shook his head, and walked back to the grill muttering something under his breath about the man being a Neanderthal.

Grace gave a whistle from the lalani. Steve looked up. She raised her hand to let him know it was mission accomplished and Steve pumped the air triumphantly. Amber licked her lips.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked Kono.

"Shoot," Kono said as she raised her beer to her mouth.

"Um... you've known Danny a while right?" Amber asked.

Kono pulled a face as she considered this before nodding, "I guess."

"H-how many women has Danny introduced to Grace in the time you've known him?" Amber asked curiously.

"Oh, well..." Kono cleared her throat slightly, "well I was away for a rather long time, and I might have missed some people, but as far as I know it's just been you and Gabby."

"And Gabby was a long time ago?" Amber asked.

"Very. Like, _really_ long," Kono agreed. A small smile grew as she remembered those times. "He was so nervous to introduce her to Grace that he made all of us go with him. He was nagging at us for _weeks."_

"Ah, that explains the real reason we're hosting a barbecue," Amber smiled.

She hadn’t noticed the way she was picking at her nails as she glanced back towards Grace, who had returned to the party with yet more crumbs across her mouth and a plate of sliced up banana bread in her hands. Kono did though. So did others around them. Danny included, albeit from a distance. Before he could make his approach, Kono laid a hand on her arm.

"Look, if you're worried about Grace, don't be. She's a really sweet kid, but she's grown up faster than most. She had to. Every day Danny walks out to work she knows she might not see him again and let me tell you that is a really scary idea for a kid. Believe me, my father was a cop too. It's not that she doesn't like you, she just doesn't know how long you're gonna be around, and how much she's going to rely on you," she promised.

Amber's heart thumped. "Rely on me?"

Jerry cleared his throat and stepped into the conversation, offering her his hand, "Hi, I'm Jerry-"

Amber shook his hand and began, "Nice to-"

Before Jerry cut her off to explain, "I'm no psychologist so don't take my word for it, but I doubt Grace even knows why she's resistant to you. But you're new. You need to prove you can be trusted."

"Trusted?" Amber repeated.

Jerry gave a big and resounding nod. Kono reluctantly nodded in agreement. Amber went back to picking her nails. Trust wasn’t something she was exactly full of at the moment. She wasn’t sure how much she could trust the people around her, let alone how much they could trust her. Especially with the lies she was living and the secrets... So many secrets...

"Prove it how exactly?" She asked.

"Don't - don’t listen to him, he’s..." Kono tried to sound reassuring as she looked for a nice way to say what she was thinking.

Jerry folded his arms stubbornly. "Just because I'm a conspirasist doesn't mean I don't know what Grace is going through too. When my dad left, Mom brought home some guys and I knew none of them would last so I didn't bother to even learn their names."

"I think I'm- I hope I'm going to last..." Amber muttered.

"Well Danny's very protective of Grace so the fact you two have even met is a good sign," Kono promised.

"You think?" Amber asked hopefully.

"Oh yeah, big time. Aloha, I'm Chin. I hope my friends aren't scaring you, they mean well," Chin smiled warmly.

"We're not scaring her, we're reassuring her!" Kono insisted.

"Any help I can get I'm grateful for. I don't really get kids and I really need this to go well," Amber confessed.

"Well the trouble is that Grace hasn't really seen a relationship that last either. Not a normal one anyway," Chin warned.

Amber blinked in surprise. Grace seemed well adjusted. She seemed happy. It was hard to imagine anything in her life being beyond ordinary. Clearly the growing crowd around her disagreed.

"A divorce early in her life, her moms messy second marriage, Kono and Adam having to leave secretly without a goodbye-" Jerry listed.

"How's that got anything to do with this?" Kono interrupted defensively.

"No, he’s right, kids pick up on this stuff," Chin warned her. "She was at my wedding and she was so excited, and when Malia... Grace gave me this huge hug that I didn’t even know I needed, and I don’t think she understood why."

The memory of it still ached in Chin's chest. He didn’t have any kids of his own and it was beginning to look like he never would, but a little girl like Grace always reminded him that he definitely wanted them.

"She's a smart kid. She picks things up from her dad that she doesn't even understand. It's endearing, but it can be a little sad too," Kono agreed.

"When Gabby left it was tough. She grew attached and then Gabby left. If she gets attached and you and Danny break up-" Chin began.

"It's a case of fool me once shame on you?" Amber asked.

There was a general muttering of confirmation around her. It caused Danny to ask Steve something nervously that made Steve clap his shoulder to ease him. Steve could quell Danny's nerves without fail, if only momentarily.

"Exactly. Don’t take it personally. The only three solid people in her life are Danny, Rachel and Steve," Jerry stated.

Amber frowned. "Steve? Don’t you mean Stan?"

There wasn’t a general muttering this time but they did glance between each other and that was somehow worse. Chin cleared his throat.

"Put it this way, I ran into Grace at the office once and I asked her why she was there since Danny had gone home for the night. She said Steve was finishing up some paperwork before he was going to take her home. To _Rachel's."_

Amber swallowed hard. "Rachel likes Steve?"

"Rachel trusts Steve," Jerry corrected.

"Apparently when Grace is in trouble or Rachel's just gonna be late to picking her up and wants to avoid telling Danny, she asks Steve. Which Danny cannot find out about, obviously," Kono warned.

That was a daunting prospect. It was hard enough to accept that her new boyfriend had an ex that was so integral to his life still that she wasn’t going anywhere. Now she found out that that ex wife trusted his partner with their daughter without him even knowing, it just felt like another notch on the measuring stick she had to live up to.

"So... when Grace said she was waiting for her other Dad, she meant Steve?" Amber asked.

Jerry nodded again, "That sounds about right."

"I wouldn’t say it in front of Danny though," Chin warned.

"Say what?" Danny interrupted darkly.

Kono didn’t miss a beat even as everyone else tried to think of lies, "that Steve's a better chef than you."

"Cuz!" Chin laughed, half in scolding and half in wonder.

She really could think of a lie without any effort. Then again she had been undercover multiple times and on the run for a long, long time too. It shouldn't surprise him that she could create cover stories in seconds.

Danny staggered backwards like he had been mortally wounded, "Whoa, whoa, you can't possibly really think that? Right? Kono?"

"Well..." Jerry pulled a face.

Danny stared at him, horrified, "Really?! _Jerry?"_

Jerry gave a nervous smile and pointed to the safety of the picnic table away from them, "I’m gonna go over there-"

"You’re a coward!" Danny called. He looked to Amber, "You don't think he’s a better chef do you?"

Amber opened her mouth to respond but wasn’t really sure how. She just smiled reassuringly and said, "I haven’t tried anything yet, but, uh, he didn't burn four sausages in a row."

"No, knowing him he’s saving it for burning down the house," Danny grumbled.

He couldn't believe it. He invited his whole team over to enjoy some freshly barbecued food and all they could do was criticise. And not just criticise, they had to compare. Compare to _Steve._

"I know who can settle this. Grace! Where is she anyway?"

"You don't have to bother her, I'm sure they're just teasing,"

"Are you okay? You look nervous. They're detectives babe, they don’t bite,"

"They do shoot and get you shot while driving though,"

"I said I was sorry about that and I found the guy who did it,"

"Yes. Yes you did. Because you're my hero," she cooed.

Danny smiled again as he leaned across to meet her lips and they stole repeated, feathery kisses from one another. Grace gagged. It was bad enough seeing Amber kiss him in their kitchen but out here in public there was a line. There were laws against that sort of thing. They broke away when they heard her.

"Did you say something monkey?" Danny smiled.

He had lipstick on his mouth now. Her lipstick. It really wasn't his colour.

"No," she huffed bitterly.

The frost in her tone did not go unmissed but Danny did his best to ignore it and kept smiling.

"You ready for a burger?" He asked.

Grace glanced at the grill then back at Amber. Suddenly it clicked for her. The day she met Gabby Danny had told her she was going to a dinner with Five-O to celebrate something. She couldn’t remember what. It meant she could stay up late and have ice cream for dessert though. That, she had realised later, was a trick. A bribe to get her to accept Gabby as a potential new family member. Back then that had been fine. She had just accepted Five-O into her family, what was one more?

But she remembered the airport. She remembered how sad he looked when she didn’t come home. How much he tried to smile through it and how much it hurt her to see him do so.

Grace didn’t want to see that happen again, so no. She didn't want a burger. She didn’t want to fall for his tricks, and she didn’t want his bribe. she shook her head.

"I think I lost my appetite."

Danny's face fell. "Really? Are you sick or just full? Was it uncle Jerry's banana bread? Are you feeling okay?"

Grace was too young to understand the fear and pain in her chest at the danger that this stranger posed. All she knew was that it hurt. That she was scared. And since she was scared, she needed to find somewhere safe to hide. Grace glanced across the garden and spotted the safest place possible in an instant. She took off, running at full speed.

"Grace?!" Danny called fearfully.

He made two mistakes. The first was forgetting where he was and the second was forgetting what he was doing. It didn't seem impossible when his daughter was upset. So he took a step forward to chase her, and burned his hand on the barbecue in front of him. He hissed in pain as he snatched it back.

The few seconds of delay between him burning his hand, staggering backwards to look at it and looking up again were crucial. It was that time that allowed Grace to dive for cover under the table that her uncle Steve sat at. There was a little more cover to this one, since there was bush beside it, and she hauled Steve's bag up to help hide her from view.

Steve blinked in surprise, until he heard Danny calling for Grace. He shuffled up so that his legs were acting as a blockage to help hide her and leaned backwards to pull a blue cooler of beer closer too. If Grace stayed low and stayed still, she might just get away with this for a while.

"Steve have you seen Grace? I need to talk to her," He said urgently.

"Uh, no- that looks bad!" Steve warned.

Danny looked down at the scarlet mark across three of his fingers. Despite the way it coiled across his skin like pins in his flesh he shook his head.

"That doesn't matter-"

"It does if it gets infected, you should go get some-"

"My daughter ran away Steve, who cares that I hurt my hand?!"

"Grace's-" Steve stopped himself. Grace clearly didn’t want him to know where she was, but he needed to know she was safe, "actually... y’know what? I think she said she was going inside," Steve lied.

"I didn't see her go inside?" Danny said.

"No she did. she said she was going to the bathroom or something, is it really that important? This is a party man, let her relax for a while," Steve huffed.

Danny's shoulders sagged. "Amber thinks Grace hates her and I want to disagree but Grace seems to be avoiding her."

Steve softened. Suddenly he was facing two sides of a coin, and both of them were going to need reassurance separately. First things first though, Steve reached into the cooler and picked out a beer bottle.

"Hold this. It's the closest we have to an ice pack," he said.

Danny didn't argue. He hissed again as the cold glass cooled his fiery skin. Steve patted the chair of the table to encourage him to sit. It was more luck than judgement that he sat facing away from where Grace hid. Danny's shoulders looked weighed down by the pressures of everything. Steve's heart went out to him.

"What do I do man? How can I keep dating this girl if the most important person in my life can't be in the same room as her?" Danny sighed.

Steve laid a hand across his back. "Look, Grace will come around. Remember how long it took her to warm up to Gabby?"

"Almost a whole twenty minutes," Danny said drily.

"Thirteen of which she spent clinging to my hand and asking people to keep Gabby away from her because she didn't want a new mom. Remember what changed?" Steve challenged.

Danny frowned. He shook his head. It was so long ago now. "No."

"I do," Steve said. "Kamekona declared he was gonna be a helicopter pilot and everyone got distracted so Gabby could talk to her alone on the beach."

"What's your point?" Danny asked impatiently.

"My point is give her time for things to happen naturally and she'll get over this bump by herself. She’s a good kid Danny and she wants you to be happy. She just has to accept the changes that'll cause first," Steve said.

"Maybe..."

There was a long silence between them as Grace felt her stomach ache. She didn’t like hearing her father sound so sad. It didn't suit him.

"Danny there you are! You said you were following, come on, let's get this cleaned up before you do more damage!" Amber called urgently.

She had gone into the kitchen to find him some burn cream, but his mind was somewhere else and he hadn't bothered to try following her. He did not.

"I'm coming!" He called. He stood up and held the beer out to Steve again. "Thanks Steve."

Steve just gave him a nod. He wasn't sure if he was being thanked for the make shift ice pack or the advice, but he was fairly sure both were appreciated. As soon as he was out of ear shot, Steve cleared his throat.

"Okay he's gone. Come out from under there."

There was a short pause as Grace's tense muscles eased, but she didn't move.

"I don’t wanna," she muttered.

"Fine, but you should know I'm gonna look pretty weird talking to an empty table," Steve warned.

Grace pictured him sitting alone and talking quite happily to an empty table, and how anyone looking his way would think he was going insane. The idea made her want to laugh. She had to cover her mouth to hold it in.

"I heard you giggle, you can't pretend you didn't," he teased.

She swallowed the laughter down stubbornly and crossed her arms across her stomach to sulk. But Steve was already in her head, and it didn't take long to coax more words from her.

"I do want Danno to be happy uncle Steve... I just don’t understand why that means he needs someone else in his life to keep me away from him," she sighed.

"Hey, he doesn't want to keep you away okay? That will never happen, he loves you too much. Its unthinkable. Got it?" Steve said, gently but firmly.

Grace sunk lower, "It feels like he's pushing me away..."

Steve softened. If she had been sitting opposite him he would have tried laying a hand on hers or stroking her hair to reassure her, but she was hidden away so he couldn't.

"Gracie, you’re getting older now. You're going out more. Going to parties instead of trick or treating. Staying at sleepovers that mean you miss your weekend with Danno. Which is good. It is. Its really good. It means that you're making yourself a life of your own. Which is good. And Danno has a life of his own too. Which sometimes means spending time with people who mean a lot to him but you don’t know. All that means-"

"All he's asking is that I get to know her so he can spend time with both of us which means I can spend _more_ time with Danno, as long as I'm willing to share him. I know. I remember."

Grace had heard a very similar speech a very long time ago, the first time Danny had made her meet some woman he wanted to know better. Back then she never would have tried going to that beach without back up if it hadn’t been for him.

"It's up to you Grace. No ones gonna make you do anything you don't want. All I'm saying is maybe you should give Amber the same benefit of the doubt you gave Gabby," Steve assured her.

Grace considered this for a while. If all that Danny wanted was someone his own age to be happy with, to spend time at home with, to watch movies with her with, to make dinner for, to laugh with, or to love, why did he need Amber? He already had someone he did all that with. Someone she already loved too, who already loved her, and someone that her mother trusted too. The answer seemed obvious.

"Uncle Steve?"

"Yeah monkey?"

"Why cant you be my dad's boyfriend?"

Steve's heart skipped a beat as his pulse raced and his eyes widened. "Me? N-no, I- It's not- no-"

She crawled forward to rest her chin on the seat beside him and give him doe eyes. "Please? I already love you, and I don’t mind sharing Danno with you because you’re fun and you love me and you're not going anywhere... what's the problem?"

"The problem is that..." Steve's voice sounded odd. Slightly shaky. Grace didn't understand it. "As much as I love Danno, it's a... it's a different kind of love. And I'm dating Aunt Catherine, remember?"

Grace's heart fell. She had forgotten about Aunt Catherine. "Oh..."

"But I'm glad you like spending time with me because I like spending time with you," Steve promised.

Jerry cooed as he took the seat opposite him and said, "Aw, thanks, I like spending time with you too McGarrett. Why are you here all by yourself?"

Steve felt his ears turn pinker. This had taken a turn he didn’t expect to take and he was very grateful to have someone to interrupt them.

"I'm... I'm not," he said.

Jerry glanced around them at the empty tables cautiously. "You're not?"

"I'm down here Uncle Jerry," Grace said.

Jerry shifted to peer under the table and Grace made no attempt to greet him, even as he smiled.

"Oh, hi Grace! Whatcha doing down there?"

"Hiding."

"Cool," he smiled like that was perfectly expected. "I usually hide in my mom's basement. Especially when there's people over I don't want to see."

Steve frowned slightly. He didn’t think she needed encouraging. "Jerry-"

"But then I usually come out because I get hungry and then I start talking to them and I realise they’re actually really cool people and I feel silly for hiding," Jerry continued.

Grace licked her lips slightly. She was already aware of how childish she felt she was being, but in her defence she was still a child. It was to be expected.

"You do?" She asked, cautiously.

"Yep. Then when I really want to spend more time with them they have to go because I missed out on most of their visit. Y’know?" Jerry shrugged.

"I honestly don't," Steve said.

But it didn’t matter that Steve didn’t, because Grace did. She crawled over to Jerry's side and knelt up to lean on the seat beside him this time. Amber had made an appearance again. She was trying to helo Danny look for Grace. They could tell.

"What if she isn’t cool?" She asked nervously.

"Then we'll play hide and seek and give you a chance to escape," Steve said.

Grace chewed her lip. Jerry and Steve waited. No one was going to push her. They would defend her to Danny and Amber if it came to it. But they gave her time to make up her own mind.

"Fine. Promise me you'll come get me in five minutes," she warned.

Steve crossed his heart with a finger. "Promise."

Kono and Chin assured Danny that Grace was fine and she was out in the garden talking to Amber and Danny did not believe them until his saw it. The relief that flooded him to know she was safe was undeniable. It far outweighed the relief that she seemed to have settled into a conversation with Amber. Although when Amber managed to make her laugh, another wave slammed through Danny that paled them both. He looked across to Steve, who appeared to be watching them too. He had no idea how but this was Steve's doing. He just knew it.

As soon as the five minutes were up, Steve rose to his feet and wandered over to Grace and Amber. He wrapped an arm around Grace's shoulders as he did.

"Hey Gracie, want to do that uh, _surprise_ now?" He asked.

"Oh, um," Grace glanced between him and Amber and gave him a smile, "no thanks uncle Steve. Maybe later."

Steve's smirk of smug satisfaction grew. "Sure. I'll always make time for you."

Grace smiled back warmly, "I know."

And she did. Grace had complete faith in him at all times. As daunting as that could be, Steve didn’t want to let her down. Although when he glanced at Danny and the way Danny smiled at Amber it made his insides ache. There was one way he had to disappoint her. Just one. And it was just as bit a disappointment to him too.

"What surprise?" Amber asked curiously.

"Uncle Steve brought us nerf guns that Danno said were too expensive so we can shoot each other to the ground next time we play the floor is made of lava," Grace beamed.

"How often do you play?" She asked.

"Not very. Usually when Uncle Steve's looking after me before mom gets home. Or at Uncle Kamekona's when he finishes work and can play too. Or when Danno and me are staying with Uncle Steve," Grace shrugged.

"Danno says with Uncle Steve a lot huh?" Amber smiled.

"Not so much anymore because Uncle Jerry's staying with him, but after Aunt Catherine left, Danno and I spent the whole week staying with Uncle Steve. They fell asleep on the couch together it was really funny," Grace grinned.

Amber's heart beat a little faster, "They did huh? And Aunt Catherine, is she-"

"Uncle Steve _says_ they're still dating but I haven't seen her for months. He spends more time with Danno than he ever did with her anyway," Grace snorted like she knew better.

Amber's smile held firm. "Oh. How interesting."

Her eye trailed to where Steve had re-joined Jerry. Danny was wandering in his direction, his eyes fixed on Steve. When he got there, his hand slid across his partners back in the same way it slithered around her. Like it was the most natural thing in the world. Her stomach churned nervously.

Maybe it wasn't Kono she needed to worry about after all.


End file.
